Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1887-02-11

oi the track, aud their facilities for know
ing ii, after which II recess was taken for
dinner.
1t was just 3 o'clock that eX-Guv. Pin
gree called the bpnrd to order aud the in.
vestigatiun proceeded Engineer Fierce
was recalled He SAID that because Of
having only part of the train with the en-
CINE the brakes were not 50 effective.
y. c. Bean, road master of the Central
Vermont road testified Have been in
the employ of the road - years, II as road
master and have charge OF pa miles of
road when | first learned of the accident
got axes, pats, bars, etc, ana took a train
aud went to the wreck rs soon as possible
found one woman living on the ice with no
one near and sent her with men to a
house near by; sent to Quechee for Dr.
Sptrry to attend her the flames would
not allow any one to come near the cars
heard there were some wounded men in
the baggage car and there found Brake
man Bangs, who soon died we went
with the five or six wounded to West
I Hartford with the engine and bag
gage car; found places at the hotel
and elsewhere for the wounded ha
relief train back to the junction to get "A
wreck car and all appliances when had
come up by the time | returned from
/ West Hartford | spent my time wholly
III caring for the wounded, with the eX-
ceptloA of ordering help, etc; when com
ing TO the bridge saw three rails torn
out OF position, some being bent the first
rail was broken Off 10 feet inches from
the south end, whole length of rall being
30 feet; the rails We're rolled at st. AL
bans from blooms brought from Ger
many were of Bessemer steel and laid
i've years ago steel rails are in use here
now that have been rolled 20 years in
finding two or three breaks think it i'm
possible to tell which broke first, or
whe Their one caused other or not don't
think but two places show marks of wheels
before reaching the bridge: should say
these were made by forward trucks
OF the car because OF pecularitleS of
MARKS. Considerable marks We're made
by one pair of trucks and it would be easy
10 distinguish if more than one set were
OFF If there were two sets of trucks they
would not track - anyone can see that
the rear end of train sways around more
than other: think both pairs OF trucks
got oil the track before reaching the abut-
ment; two tracks" shown by marks are
only six or seven inches from each other
the cars unshackled after the cars struck
the ice which explains fully the reasons
for such theory, because of the present
position; | think the second car was on
fine track till the last car dropped from the
bridge the rear car turned over as soon as
it left the abutment. There is no doubt in
my mind but the car turned over when it
lett the abutment while the other three
cars were on the track turning over the rest
or drawing them after; one broken Jour
nal shows the wheels to nave gone off both
sides of the bridge one wheel and journal
lay west of the bridge not at all smoked
or burned while the corresponding set Law
on the other side. think that the journal
is what threw the rear car from the track
and that from the place of the broken rail
to the bridge it was held in place by the
"hawsing."
The west rail shows marks of hard
scratching on the ball of the rails which
could not be done by engine slipping as
no engine has passed over it since the ac
cldent 1F'rom finding a safety strap am
sure that the axle broke - feet before the
broken rail. Some fragments of rail nave
been brought away by curiosity seekers.
but none been removed with my con
sent, The broken axle is common four
inch journal made by the Pullman com
pany Of Chicago; it is of wrought iron.
wheels pressed by hydraulic pressure
the truck was a SiX-wheel truck and the
broken journal was in the middle. The
broken axle was on forward truck of rear
Pullman Pilgrim and broke in centre of
axle equi distant from wheels, The safe
~ strap was found ten feet before reach
ing first broken rail: the ground shows
where end OF journal dug into ground
before reaching bridge attention is called
10 an lndentation in axle near point of
fracture; think 1t was made by next
wheel behind passing over it Il cannot
say why the axle broke weight of rails
Is 90 pounds to a yard and but few roads
use rails heavier engine was of A. tons
without tender which weighs from 10 to
II tons White River Junction Is the
point where all cars are inspected they
are next inspected at Mortified, SO miles
from here, then at St Adams, below here
at Windsor and BELLOWS Falls. | think
the common practice of examining wheels
by humping them IS almost wholly use.
less because of the material the thump
does not test the axle they being in two
separate parts, but the latter is inspected
by man going under the car.
Superintendent John Mulligan of the
Connecticut River railroad testified EX-
amlned the scene yesterday with others to
see II could ascertain the cause of the ac-
cldent. | made up my mind that the axle
was broken first; don't know the cause
wheel tore out the first part of the rail and
by that cause all cars were drawn off by this
car when the bridge was reached he mark
on the axle was made before the axle was
broken; attention being called to a mark
which might be defect IN the broken rail
Itself witness said; In my estimation this
defect IN the rail was very slight, had no
part in causing the accident. Mr.. Multi
gahs testimony was devoted chiefly to a